Jean-Pierre Dardenne

The internationally acclaimed filmmaking duo Jean-Pierre Dardenne (born April 1951) and Luc Dardenne (born March 1954) had directed and produced documentary films for over two decades before turning to writing, directing and producing fiction films.

They founded the company Dérives in 1975, through which they went on to produce over 60 documentaries, including their own. In 1994, they created Les Films du Fleuve, the company that has produced all their fiction films.

1996 marked the Dardenne brothers' feature film breakthrough with the critically acclaimed release of LA PROMESSE (THE PROMISE) starring Jérémie Renier and Olivier Gourmet, who have both since become regular actors in the Dardenne films. Since then all their films have been selected in the competition of the Cannes International Film Festival. LA PROMESSE was followed by the 1999's Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or and critical smash ROSETTA, starring Emilie Dequenne and Olivier Gourmet. In addition to the Palme d'Or ROSETTA garnered the Cannes Film Festival Best Actress Award for Ms. Dequenne in her debut performance. THE SON (LE FILS) won Olivier Gourmet the Best Actor Award at Cannes in 2002. For L'ENFANT, (a Sony Pictures Classics release), the Dardennes won their second Palme d'Or in 2005. LORNA'S SILENCE, won the Cannes International Film Festival's Best Screenplay Award in 2008. Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne belong to a rare group of filmmakers, including Bille August, Francis Ford Coppola and Emir Kusturica, who have won the Cannes Film Festival's Palme d'Or twice.